Website of a pharmacy

Delivery of medicinal products in pharmacies remains the basic principle.

However, an exemption is foreseen (Article 29 of the Royal Decree of 21/01/2009 (French version) related to instructions for pharmacists). This article only allows pharmacies open to the public and authorized in Belgium to sell online, under very strict conditions, medicinal products for human use, which are not subject to medical prescription, and some medical devices.

The Royal Decree of 21/01/2009 (French version) includes a series of measures to ensure that the pharmacy delivery rules are also applied when providing medicinal products ordered online. Providing has to be made from the pharmacy, entirely under the responsibility of the pharmacist and following the rules of good officinal practices.

Measures are also foreseen to ensure that the offering for sale, ordering, packaging and providing are organized in a way that is in line with the patient privacy protection right.

Besides, pharmacies which want to sell medicines online from 1st July 2015 on, have to put the European logo for online pharmacies on each of their webpage. This logo has to refer to the announced list of the online pharmacies so that the patient can check if the pharmacist is authorized. This obligation applies for the entire European Union and results from the Falsified Medicines Directive (2011/62/EU).

The FAMHP draws attention to the potential health risks associated with online purchasing of medicinal products through illegal channels. The FAMHP reminds people to purchase their medicinal products from an authorized pharmacy in Belgium, possibly online for medicinal products not subject to prescription, on the site created by the pharmacy.

Specific instructions for pharmacists who want to organize a sale of medicinal products not subject to medical prescription are available here.